In the 27th International Coordinating Council meeting of MAB, UNESCO which convened in Paris from 8-13 June, the Council officially announced the acceptance of two additional Indonesian National Parks into membership of its “Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme , said Indonesian Ambassador to UNESCO Prof. Fauzi Soelaiman recently to Antara news in London.

This brings UNESCO recognized biospheres in Indonesia to a total of ten.

“Biospheres are sites on land, sea or shore, that are innovatively managed with the aim to synergize the needs of the local population with those of the environment. While its ultimate aim is to combine sustainability and diversity of biological resources with their sustainable exploitation, at the same time promote local solutions to human challenges as faced by that particular region, explained Ambassador Fauzi Soelaiman.

The MAB UNESCO Programme was launched in 1970. Each year the ICC MAB which comprised 34 countries convened to officially receive new members.

Today MAB UNESCO counts 647 members from 120 countries, including 14 Biosphere Preservation parks that lie on the borders of two countries, such as the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia, Mare aux Hippopotamus in Burkina Faso, and the Pantanal inj Brazil.

The continued and widespread development of biosphere preservation in Indonesia indicate Indonesia’s commitment to implement programs as agreed in global conventions related to the Environment, Diversity of Biological Resources and Climate Change.